


The Nazgûl Killer (LOTR | Wonder Woman)

by GabbyS_Lee



Series: The Nazgûl Killer [1]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Crossover, F/M, Fanfiction, Inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Inspired by Wonder Woman (2017)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27319132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GabbyS_Lee/pseuds/GabbyS_Lee
Summary: (Legolas x Diana x Boromir)Lord of the Rings | Wonder Woman XoverThe island kingdom of Themyscira is but a small part of Middle Earth. Here, the Amazons are somewhat isolated from the mainland after the events of the War of The Last Alliance and the betrayal of mankind in their lust for the One Ring.On this island, the young princess Diana, daughter of Hippolyta, trains under the greatest warrior of  Themyscira, her aunt Antiope. Although her true purpose is kept hidden for many immortal years, Diana soon learns of how she is involved in the War of the Rings and her purpose to defeat Sauron: Only she possesses the power to kill the Nazgûls.When the presence of the Amazons has been requested at the Council of Elrond after the discovery of the One Ring, Diana answers the call and in turn fulfills her destiny to help defeat Sauron by joining the Fellowship of The Ring."You have my sword.""And you have my bow.""And my axe.""And, at your command, you have the protection of my shield as well."
Series: The Nazgûl Killer [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994470
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. crossover explained

Lord of The Rings || Wonder Woman

AUTHOR’s NOTE:

Gal Gadot = Diana  
Orlando Bloom = Legolas

More will be explained in the 2nd Chapter - The Amazons, but here's a brief summary of how LOTR and Wonder Woman are connected in the story:

This story combines the origin story/movie plot of Wonder Woman as well as the LOTR movies and mythology.

To understand the mythology of LOTR better, a video is provided above^^^

=====

Themyscira is an island off the coast of the mainland of Middle Earth. This is where Diana and the Amazons live. 

They used to live on the mainland amongst Men, Elves, Dwarves, etc. but after Isildur refused to destroy the One Ring after the Battle of The Last Alliance and the defeat of Sauron, Isildur threatened war on the Amazons when they persisted he throw the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. 

After seeing how corrupt Men have become and after the Nine ringbearers of Men fell to the dominion of the One Ring (becoming the Ringwraiths/Nazgûl), the Amazons immigrated to Themyscira and swore that they will never involve themselves in the matters of Men ever again. No Men are allowed to step foot on Themyscira as punishment for betraying the Amazons. 

=====

Rather than the Greek gods such as Zeus and Ares who were the creators of Men in the Wonder Woman movie, they will be replaced by Eru Ilúvatar and the Ainur/Valar, who were the creator of all existence and the supreme beings in LOTR. 

The Amazons as a race were created by the One True God Ilúvatar alongside the race of Men during the Years of The Sun near the end of the First Age and upon the dawn of the Second Age after the awakening of the Elves. (I'm saying this based on research, so please correct me if I'm wrong). They are the third of the Children of Ilúvatar.

Much like Elves and unlike Men, the Amazons are an immortal race; they can live for thousands of years and not age and are immune to disease. 

However, Amazons may die or be slain by injuries to vital organs, are susceptible to poison, and can freeze/burn to death.

When he saw that mankind was easily corrupted and that their desire for power turned them against each other, Eru Ilúvatar created the Amazons to influence mankind's hearts with love and to keep peace in Middle Earth. 

Throughout history, the Amazons have always stood beside mankind. While mankind were given the gift of mortality, the Amazons are immortal in order to help mankind for generations.

=====

Diana, much like her origin story from the DC Universe, was sculpted from clay by her mother Hippolyta.

Since the Amazons were a race of all women and had turned their backs from Men, Hippolyta yearned to have a child but was unable to conceive. 

In an act of desperation, she sculpted a baby with clay and prayed and begged for Eru Ilúvatar (the supreme being of the universe/creator of all existence) to breathe life into the baby made of clay with the Secret Fire (the ancient Flame Imperishable/The Flames of Anor). 

The Ainur saw Hippolyta's grief and sorrow and sang a song (The Music of Ainur) of sorrow in return. Through the song, the Flame Imperishable was passed into the baby and breathed life into it.

Hippolyta wiped away the clay to find flesh; a real baby in her arms. 

Although the Ainur allowed Hippolyta to have a child, since she had neglected her purpose as an Amazon and turned her back on Mankind by fleeing to Themyscira, the Ainur decreed that Hippolyta's daughter, Diana, must fulfill her duty and return to mankind to finish what Hippolyta hadn't.

Diana was destined by the Ainur to take an important role in the defeat of Sauron to restore mankind back to its former glory: Diana is the only one capable of killing the Nazgûl; the corrupted beings of the ringbearers of mankind who are now under Sauron's control. 

Since the Nazgûl were once Men who were overtaken by their desire for power, it is only right for an Amazon to have the power to defeat them.

In this context, Diana is to be Hippolyta's greatest joy as well as her punishment from the supreme god Ilúvatar.


	2. PROLOGUE : ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL

_ I amar prestar sen…  _

The world is changed…

_ han mathon ne nen, _

I feel it in the water…

_ han mathon ne chae… _

I feel it in the earth…

_ a han noston ned _

_ wilith… _

I smell it in the air… 

Much that once was is lost… 

For none now live who remember it… 

It began with the forging of the Great Rings.

Three were given to the Elves:

The High Elves Galadriel, Gil-Galad, and Círdan.

Immortal, wisest...fairest of all beings.

Seven to the Dwarf Lords:

Great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls.

Two rings to the Amazons:

The Amazon Queen Hippolyta and the Great Warrior Antiope. 

A race of immortal warrior women… who were created to unite Middle Earth with love and compassion. Messengers to the world in the name of peace and justice.

And Nine…

Nine rings were gifted to the race of Men who, above all else, desire power.

For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race. 

But they were all of them deceived.

...for another ring was made.

In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a Master Ring to control all others. And into this Ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life.

One Ring to rule them all.

One by one the Free lands of Middle earth fell to the power of the ring. 

But there were some...who resisted.

A last alliance of Men and Elves and Amazons marched against the armies of Mordor. On the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth.

Victory was near…

But the power of the ring could not be undone. 

It was in this moment when all hope had faded, that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father's sword, the great blade of Narsil, and cut the One Ring off Sauron’s finger.

Sauron, the enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle Earth, was defeated.

The Ring passed to Isildur...who had this one chance to destroy evil forever.

But the hearts of Men are easily corrupted. And the Ring of Power has a will of its own.

It betrayed Isildur to his death.

And some things that should not have been forgotten… were lost.

History became legend…

Legend became myth… 

And for two and a half thousand years the Ring passed out of all knowledge. 

Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer.

The Ring came to the creature Gollum, who took it deep into the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. 

And there, it consumed him.

The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum's cave…

It waited… 

Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumor grew of a Shadow in the East...whispers of a nameless fear. And the Ring of Power perceived its time had now come. 

It abandoned Gollum.

But something happened then that the Ring did not intend… 

=====

“I used to want to save the world. 

This beautiful place. 

But I knew so little then. 

It is a land of magic and wonder. 

Worth cherishing in every way. 

But the closer you get, the more you see the great darkness shimmering within. 

And mankind? 

Mankind is another story altogether. 

What one does when faced with the truth is more difficult than you think. 

I learned this the hard way. 

A long long time ago. 

And now, I will never be the same.”


	3. THEMYSCIRA

Far out in the ocean, off the shores of Middle Earth, there is an island concealed within fog. It is a paradise that is hidden away from the presence of mankind… 

The people on the mainland of Middle Earth sometimes refer to it as Paradise Island. Though not many have had the privilege to land at their shores, the rare few who did return to the mainland with vivid descriptions:

Fertile volcanic soil… 

Marvelous flora and fauna… 

Serene waterfalls which flow through the kingdom… 

Prestigious architecture which would make all other nations envious… 

And the tall castle that rests high in the mountains, with ivy climbing up its stone walls.

It is the land of the Amazons and no man resides here.   
For thousands of years, the Amazons have lived here in peace and prosperity; undisturbed and unaffected by the problems of the other kingdoms.

“Hello, Diana!” Many of the street vendors greet the young, bubbly princess as she runs through the marketplace of Themyscira. The garments of her light brown tunic, though fastened in place by her dark brown girdle high above her waist, fly in the wind as she runs with all of her wild and free youth under her belt. Her unruly dark locks are pinned down to be out of her face. Her sandals are barely hanging onto her tiny feet as she uses them to their limit. 

As the only child on the island and the daughter of the Queen no doubt, her innocence and youthfulness let her get away with much of the mayhem she causes.

“Hello, Diana!” Another Amazon in the marketplace would acknowledge her with a tint of amusement in their tone.

“Hello!” Diana chirps back as she continues to weave her way through the bustling streets of the marketplace.

Her newest tutor, Mnemosyne, assigned by Diana’s mother, Queen Hippolyta, is not amused by her game of chase.

“Diana!” she can hear her tutor calling after her by the heels of her feet. She glances over her shoulder to see the stern face of her tutor watching her run away in the distance, “Diana! Come back!”

Diana ignores her pleas. With a playful smile, she speeds up towards the training grounds where she knows her aunt will be. 

What the Amazon warriors train for, Diana could not say. She has not lived as long as all the other Amazons and is unaware of what fight they prepare for in a time of peace.

But Diana is still drawn to the theatrics of the training. Despite never seeing combat on the battlefield, she finds herself always escaping her studies to come see the training grounds: a mimicry of the real battlefield. From behind the large, round newel atop the stone wall facing the North, she watches with interest as she surveys the training grounds.

Guarding the flat, grassy field are two, tall stone statues of Amazon warriors; perhaps some of her ancestors. One holds a spear and stands erect while the other wields a basket and has a much gentler expression carved into its stone face. 

All across the fields as far as her eyes can see are the Amazon warriors training for combat. Some duel with swords. Others have target practice by shooting arrows at clay pots filled with sand suspended under the air; rarely does anyone miss their targets. Some flip off of boulders, showcasing their great agility to avoid attacks on the battlefield. Others ride horseback and exhibit their unrivaled flexibility as they hang off of their saddle to pick up their shield from the ground while in motion.

The training grounds seem to be in a harmonious system that holds contained chaos; preparing for combat on an island that hasn’t seen war in thousands of years.

The young princess emerges from her hiding spot and stands on top of the North facing wall to oversee the warriors training. From where she stands, she tries to mimic the movements of the warriors on the ground: throwing a punch in the air, a kick to the front, and blocking hits with the motion of her arms. Though her attempts are childish in nature, her determination is as voracious as any of the warriors she sees below.

Antiope, General of the Amazon Army and Diana’s aunt, roams amidst this contained chaos. She observes every warrior and their every move like a hawk. 

Her armor is made of overlapping bands of heavy leather with a metal breastplate. She wears a leather padded skirt cut high above the thighs as to not impede her movement. The sleeveless armor exposes her shoulders and collarbones, which are darker in tone from hours of exposure under the beating sun. The golden headpiece that rests on her forehead and lines her cheekbones shows her authority amongst the other warriors. 

Diana admires her armor; it appears much more dauntless than the flimsy tunic Diana wears now. She can only dream of being able to wear such armor when she’s as skilled and mature as Antiope.

To wield a sword… 

To hold a bow and shoot arrows…

To execute flips and spins like a warrior… 

To ride horseback into battle… 

Just like them.

Diana can only pretend to do all of these in her head, lest her mother bans her from the training grounds for good. Hippolyta is strict about Diana training to fight.

Perhaps being a warrior is a childish fantasy of hers, but the blood of warriors is what flows through her veins. Although she is a child today, one day she will be there on the training grounds and not standing high on the wall out of danger.

Diana watches as two Amazon warriors stand on a circular platform engaging in combat. Diana tries to copy their movements, imagining that she is one of them. Her eyes grow wide as she watches the stronger and more balanced warrior throw her opponent off the platform. 

Diana continues to mimic the blocks and hits of the warrior who can’t seem to be thrown off the platform, no matter how hard others try. Antiope looks towards the North facing wall when she sees movement in the corner of her observant eye. Antiope watches in amusement at her niece’s terrible form and sloppy attacks to the air. 

Seeing her aunt watching her, Diana slowly lowers her tiny fists back to her sides. She grins bashfully as Antiope shakes her head in amusement at her antics. 

“Diana!” someone calls for her in the distance.

Diana looks towards the horizon where she sees her tutor, Mnemosyne, roaming around on the training grounds still in pursuit. Her tutor’s teal blue palla dress contrasts with the dark brown of the warriors' armor, making Mnemosyne stand out amongst the crowd on the ground. 

“Diana! I see you!” Mnemosyne singles out her student hiding in the shadows of the wall.

Diana gasps and starts to run along the length of the wall and away from the training fields and away from Mnemosyne. 

“Where are you going? Slow down!” One of the Amazon soldiers standing at her post warns Diana as she zooms past her. 

Diana leaps up the stairs and skips several steps at a time. She takes small gasps of air under her breath as her lungs struggle to keep up with her pace. Her kindred spirit is too much to handle in her premature body.

But Diana has always been one to test her own limits. At the top of the steps, she doesn’t hesitate before running towards the ledge of the stone walls and jumping over. She holds her breath and flails her arms in midair as she free falls from the highest point of the kingdom. 

Adrenaline runs through her veins as she falls closer to the ledge of the pathway she was aiming for. However, her heart drops in her stomach as she realizes her estimated jump is short of where she aimed for. It quickly dawns on her that she is going to miss her landing and quite possibly fall to her death in the green canopy of the forest at the base of the mountain. 

Just when she’s about to fall past the ledge and miss the pathway, Diana is caught midair with her feet dangling in search of solid ground. She looks up at her rescuer to see a much larger hand-bound in leather vambraces wrapped around her smaller wrist. 

Diana laughs innocently and swings her body against her mother’s grip as Hippolyta stares down at her from over the ledge. Her fur pauldron stands out against her armor made of alligator skin. A golden crown that weaves across her hairline and down the length of her face rests upon her head; a true symbol of royalty. The queen of Themyscira herself.

“Hello, mother!” Diana greets her cheekily, “How are you today?”

Her mother lifts her up over the ledge with ease and lowers Diana onto the white horse she is on. 

“Let’s get you back to school before another tutor quits…” Hippolyta exasperates as she sees Mnemosyne storming off in the distance. She keeps Diana situated in front of her in the saddle and securely in her arms as she holds the reins of the horse firmly, steering the steed in which direction to canter.

“But don’t you think it’s time to start my training?” Diana tries to convince her mother, but to no avail. She sees her aunt Antiope riding horseback and galloping briskly towards them. She joins the queen’s cavalry and rides beside them as the queen’s entourage moves forward. Diana looks at Antiope for support on the matter, “Antiope thinks I’m ready!”

“Does she?” Hippolyta asks as she raises a golden eyebrow in question, daring Antiope to challenge her decision.

“I could begin showing her some things.” Antiope reasons with Hippolyta, “She should at least be able to defend herself.”

Hippolyta’s piercing eyes shoot over at her general, “From who?” 

Antiope nods and simply replies, “In the event of an invasion.”

“Isn’t that why I have the greatest warrior in our history leading an entire army, General?” Hippolyta says smugly as she guides her horse and her entourage downhill.

Antiope sighs and scans the vastness of the kingdom’s structures that have yet to be scorched by the brutality of war, “I pray a day will never come when she has to fight. But you know, a scorpion must sting, a wolf must hunt—“

“—She is a child. The only child on the island. Please let her be so.” Hippolyta objects sternly.

Diana whines, “But mother—”

“—There will be no training.” Hippolyta declares with finality. The Queen steers her white horse in the direction of the castle. Diana glances behind her at Antiope who has halted her horse and has stopped following them, but the General shares a knowing nod with her niece as Diana is carried away. The exchange makes Diana hide a mischievous smile to herself from her mother.


	4. THE AMAZONS

Diana’s bedroom is what is expected of royalty: golden walls, Amazonian carvings, and luxurious bedspreads made of the finest buckskin and animal hide on the island. The first rising of the sun during the First Age is carved into the wall beside her bed as a reminder of their origins. However, the comfort of her bed can hardly tame the energy of the young princess who refuses to lay down to rest. 

“What if I promise to be careful?” Diana begs the moment her mother walks into the room, her golden robes shimmering in the backlight. Hippolyta holds a picture book of some kind wrapped in a woolen cloth in her hand. She sets down the documents on the table away from Diana’s bed. 

“It’s time to sleep,” Hippolyta states as she joins Diana at her bedside.

The young princess looks up at her mother and continues to bargain out of desperation, “What if I didn’t use a sword?”

“Fighting does not make you a hero.” Hippolyta counters as she pulls the bedspread up to Diana’s chin, making her lie down under the weight of the animal hide. 

“Just the shield then! No sharp edges.” Diana persists. 

Hippolyta sighs and retracts from tucking her daughter in. Astonished at Diana’s persistence, Hippolyta tries to reason with her through pathos, “Diana, you are the most precious thing in the world to me. I wished for you so much, so I sculpted you from clay myself… and begged Eru Ilûvatar to breathe life into you.”

Diana rests her hand against her cheek and grumbles, “You’ve told me this story…”

”Which is why…” Hippolyta stands and approaches the ambiguous book she had set aside. She unravels the wool to reveal a folded parchment bound in ancient leather. Hippolyta exclaims, “tonight I'll tell you a new one. The story of our people and my days of battle.”

“Yes!” Diana cheers as she shoots back up in bed. 

Hippolyta shoots her enthusiasm down as she lectures her, “So you will finally understand why war is nothing to hope for.”

Unfazed by her mother’s concerns and intentions, Diana moves over to make more room for her mother to sit on her bed. When the Queen takes her seat, Diana bombards her to open the picture book as she’s eager to see what history and knowledge it contains about her people. The glow of the two fires on each side of her bed illuminate both sides of the painting, but Diana feels as though the painting is illuminating itself. The painting shows a great mountain, with Eru Ilûvatar standing above and the Ainur behind him and the Valar behind them. And at the bottom of the mountain are elves and mankind alike looking up to the God… 

Diana tilts her head and stares with wide eyes as she sees the figures in the painting move on their own according to the story… 

=====

“ _ Long ago, when time was new... and all of history was still a dream... the Ainur watched over Middle Earth. The One True God Ilûvatar was king among them. Eru Ilûvatar created beings over which the Ainur would rule: The Children of Ilûvatar. Before the creation of the sun and the moon, the firstborn of the Children of Ilûvatar awakened in the far East of Middle Earth. The Elves are the fairest and wisest of any race in Arda.” _

Diana lays unmoving in her bed, waiting until the door clicks to a close after her mother’s departure. And after the click, she remains still for an hour to ensure the coast is clear. Silently, Diana rises from her covers and kneels at her bedside where she pulls out from under her bed a neatly folded hooded cloak, made dark as night for her to blend in with the shadows on her quest. 

_ “Upon the first rising of the sun, during the Years of the Sun, Eru Ilûvatar awakened Mankind, beings born in his image. Strong and passionate. The One True God favored this race and blessed them with mortality, the Gift of Men.” _

Diana passes the Queen’s chamber on light feet; she has become skilled in slipping past her mother’s door undetected. She peeks through the exit door that leads to the cobblestone path she must follow. Through the crack in the door, Diana can make out the figure of one of the palace guards passing the door and marching away. In this opportune moment, Diana closes the door behind her before bolting in the opposite direction of the guard, pulling her hood over her head as she follows the cobblestone path.

_ “But The One True God saw that mankind was easily corrupted and that their desire for power turned them against each other...and war ravaged Arda.” _

Diana rushes on nimble feet through the streets of Themyscira. Although hours ago she had run through the streets garnering attention, she now sticks to the shadows to avoid peering eyes. The cobblestone path leads her to the outskirts of the kingdom, where she descends down stone steps to travel beyond the walls that border them. She runs across the grass with her cape flying behind her until she reaches a hidden cave outside of the kingdom.

“ _ So, Eru Ilûvatar created us, the Amazons, from clay and given life through the Flame Imperishable… the Third of the Children of Ilûvatar...to influence men's hearts with love ...and restore peace to the Middle Earth… created with immortality to stand alongside men to help the people of Middle Earth stand against evil for generations. And for a brief time, there was peace.” _

Diana enters the cave and lowers her hood. Awaiting her in the darkness is an Amazonian warrior holding a spear in one hand and a dagger in the other. Only when the moonlight reflects on her golden headpiece does Diana recognize the shadowed figure as the Amazonian General, her aunt Antiope. 

“ _ But it did not last…”  _

With the torches now lit, the cave becomes their secret training ground. Diana removes her cape and wraps her wrists in strips of cloth. Thus, her training begins. 

“ _ Under the influence of Sauron and driven by their lust for power, mankind turned their back on us. When Hippolyta ordered Isildur to destroy Sauron’s ring, he refused and declared war on our people, taking many captives. Your mother, The Amazon Queen, led a revolt... ...that freed us all from enslavement.” _

Antiope demonstrates a strike to her right. Diana copies and punches in the same fluid motion. Antiope turns and strikes again to her other side. Diana follows her lead and punches in the other direction with her other fist. 

“ _ The Amazons sailed away to find refuge and swore to never trust mankind ever again. Our ships, guided by the Northern Star, landed on the shores of an island created by volcanic ash and we claimed it as our own land, Themyscira… somewhere mankind can never find us.” _

Diana grips the dagger she is handed over while Antiope wields the spear with both hands. Diana turns the dagger in her hand, adjusting to its weight. Spars with the General are always challenging; she’s given no shield to defend herself with. Only a different weapon each time to fight offensively with. Antiope delivers the first blow by thrusting the spear forward. Diana barely dodges it by stumbling backward.

_ “And mankind? What happened to them?” _

_ “Without the guidance of the Amazons, mankind fell back into their corrupt ways… Living in malice and cruelty. But we knew that one day Sauron might return to finish his mission. An endless war... ...where mankind would finally destroy themselves... ...and us with them.” _

As Diana’s training advances over the months, so does the difficulty. Antiope does not let her rest. Her training is ruthless; her drills escalate as her limits grow with her age. Antiope tests her endurance by fighting on elevated ground. After warming up with a quick sprint through the forest and up the mountainside, they train on a sparring circle at the top of the mountain. Diana finds it hard to breathe, but even this she must endure.

“ _ So we forged a weapon of our own to protect us ...One powerful enough to kill a Nazgûl.” _

_ “A Nazgûl? What are those?” _

When Diana is ready, Antiope teaches her how to ride a horse on her own for the first time. She steers her white steed to gallop through a field of yellow daisies with a smile on her face. Diana let out a battle cry and points forward, acting as if going into battle. 

“ _ Nazgûl were once Men who were overtaken by their desire for power. A Nazgûl is one of the nine men ring bearers who succumbed to Sauron’s power and attained immortality as ringwraiths. They are servants bound to the power of the One Ring and completely under the dominion of Sauron. They seek to destroy the Amazons to prevent us from coming to mankind’s aid.” _

Just before the sun rises, Diana would follow the cobblestone path once again back to the palace. She slips past the guards and sneaks past the Queen’s chambers to her own room. The fires that usually keep her bedroom warm have burned out overnight. Diana wastes no time in removing her cloak and folding it neatly once again. 

“ _ No man can kill them… myth says that only a weapon forged by the Amazons can kill one, as we alone have the power to subdue the corruption of men.” _

Diana slides her cloak back under her bed, as far as it can go. She releases her bed covers to drape over the side, keeping her cloak concealed. Diana then slips back under the covers and closes her eyes until her mother comes in to take her on their morning walk of the castle grounds.

“ _ A thousand years have passed since the Amazons landed on Themyscira… And all has been quiet ever since.” _

=====

Hippolyta holds Diana’s smaller hand in hers as they walk along the castle premises to a marble trellis covered in vines overlooking the great expanse of their land. Marble busts of fallen Amazonian warriors that have eroded over time rest in permanent positions on the stone walls on either side of the trellis. Standing here, Diana can see how far the ocean reaches to the horizon. 

Hippolyta releases Diana’s hand and lifts her arms to the sky, basking in the radiance and glory of the kingdom they’ve built. “We give thanks to the Ainur for giving us this paradise.” Hippolyta praises. 

“And The Nazgûl Killer?”

Hippolyta’s arms fall to her side. She looks down at her young daughter with a perplexed expression, but this doesn’t waver Diana’s enthusiasm. Hippolyta looks down upon her beloved daughter who stares back at her with twinkling eyes and rosy cheeks.

“The Nazgûl Killer?” Hippolyta asks, oblivious to the term being used for the first time.

“The weapon that is strong enough to kill a Nazgûl,” Diana explains, “Can I see it?”

The beach breeze tousles through their hair as a moment of silence passes between them. The Queen’s eyes flicker in hesitation as she lifts Diana up to carry in her arms. Diana wraps her arms around her mother’s neck and continues to plead with her through her innocent gaze. Seeing her smile fills the Queen’s heart with such love, she can’t help but to give a small smile back and nod at her request. 

With an excited gasp and another innocent grin, Diana rests her head on her mother’s shoulder as they continue to look out over the waves that crash on the beach shores below their trellis. In a picturesque moment, a mother cradles her daughter in her arms one last time before introducing her to her unknowing fate.

The Queen’s entourage guides the way as they all travel on horseback to a part of the kingdom that is hidden away at the top of a hill and at the edge of a cliff: a part of the kingdom Diana has never been before. Diana leans forward in the saddle to get a better view of the tower peeking out above the horse’s head. A tower made of stone bricks stacked on top of each other stands tall in the distance and reaches up to the clouds. Although it is kept away from the rest of the kingdom, the vines seem to have reached this tower too since the top of the tower is wrapped completely in a pile of entangled green mass. 

“We have received many gifts throughout history. One day, you'll know them all. This great tower.. is where we keep them.” Hippolyta says and pulls a fascinated Diana back against her chest before Diana could fall out of the saddle. 

The tower becomes taller the closer they get. At the entrance, Queen Hippolyta helps Diana dismount their horse and holds her hand as heavy-duty guards push open the grand doors for royalty to walk in. The tower is silent; the sound of Hippolyta’s stiff leather train of her armor dress dragging and Diana’s tiny sandals stepping across the cobblestone floor echoes throughout the chamber.

The entrance is covered in darkness, with Diana’s only guide being her mother’s hand and the bright light they are walking towards. There are many displays around the tower that yield treasures collected throughout the Amazons' history on Middle Earth. However, Diana levitates towards a finely crafted longsword suspended by a golden sculpture at the center of the tower. The sword’s point is pointed to the ground while the blade points to the sky. Diana steps closer to the display; the gold arches twist around the longsword as if to protect the blade. 

“The Nazgûl Killer. It's beautiful,” Diana says and admires the sword from outside of the gold orb surrounding it; the weapon so vividly described in her bedtime stories is now an arm’s length away from her. 

“In the past, the Amazons begged the Ainur for protection from the Nazgûl. They gifted us with the Flame Imperishable, in which we forged the sword’s blade to give it the power to subdue corruption.” Hippolyta explains when she notices Diana’s fascination with the craftsmanship; it is a sword forged from within the fire of the Ainur. The blade was sharpened and shaped to a point by the heat of the Flame Imperishable. It is a weapon given directly by the gods with the power to smite evil; its power is unthinkable. 

“Who would wield it?” Diana asks full of hope, already planning how she would hold the sword. Although the length of the blade is twice her arm length and her hand at this age would barely fully wrap around the blade, Diana imagines herself being the one to wield it one day.

Hippolyta shakes her head, “I pray it will never be called to arms. But only the fiercest among us even could. Someone who can wield the Flame Imperishable forged into its hilt.” she steps forward and holds Diana by the shoulders, almost pulling her back from the sword, “And that's not you, Diana. You see? You are safe... ...and there is nothing you should concern yourself with.” Hippolyta assures her, but sounds more like she’s reassuring herself as she gazes upon the Nazgûl Killer with a meaningful look that’s different from Diana’s. 

Although she hears her mother’s warning, Diana still takes in every little detail about the sword. She can almost hear the crackle of the Flame Imperishable that is forged into its hilt. Diana’s eyes glaze over with a look of determination that took over the moment she saw the weapon strong enough to kill a Nazgûl. She is determined to be the one to wield it, and that one day she would take the handle and point the tip of the blade towards the sky rather than towards the ground.


	5. DIANA, DAUGHTER OF HIPPOLYTA

The sounds of blades clashing and armor rattling can be heard cutting through the silence of the deep forest. Far from the eyes of the palace guard, but still nearby to be able to see the kingdom walls rising above the trees, an older Diana in her adolescent years continues her training. The Amazons were given many gifts by the gods: one of which was immortality. Much like the Elves, the Amazons age differently compared to mankind over time. Though she looks as though her life has yet to begin, the truth is that the young Amazon princess is some time past her 600th year.

600 years for an Amazon is barely growing out of childhood, but Antiope already treats Diana like a grown adult; Antiope treats her like one of her warriors. In a tree grove on the outskirts of the castle, a General engages in combat with the princess. It has been many years since Antiope decided Diana was ready to train with a real sword. However, this also meant Antiope started using real swords during their sparring duels as well. Diana still has a scar on her back from one of their earliest sword spars; it was a struggle to hide it from her mother. But Diana left a few scratches on Antiope as well.

Diana’s unruly, raven hair is braided back and out of her eyes, which is ideal for combat. She swings her sword in fluid motions to clash with Antiope’s blade and to block her hits. Diana sucks to avoid one of her Aunt’s swings and smiles when she sees an opening to punch Antiope in the gut. The blow catches her off guard, but Antiope quickly recovers after her leather chest plate absorbs most of the impact. 

Diana spins and goes for a slash at Antiope’s stomach. Antiope blocks with her sword. Diana’s sword is knocked out of her grip. Antiope swings her arm. She makes a blunt hit to Diana’s back with the flat side of her blade. Her golden chest plate clangs at the impact. Diana falls forward to the ground. She lands on the green grass with a grunt. The impact wipes the smile off her face. 

“You keep doubting yourself, Diana.” Antiope points her sword and criticizes her student as she’s crawling to her feet. 

“No, I don’t!” Diana’s response is shaky, almost like she’s unsure of herself in even responding, which only goes to prove Antiope’s point. Her eyes are wide and her lips are pouty in denial at her defeat. She wipes the dirt on her hands on the skirt of her dress and rushes past Antiope.

“Yes. You do.” Antiope affirms matter of factly as she circles around, never keeping her back to her sparring opponent.

Diana grabs her fallen sword with an iron grip. Her other hand is balled into a tight fist. She turns to her opponent, already in a fighting stance without her teacher telling her to. With fierce determination, Diana repeats herself with more confidence, “No. I don’t.”

Diana yells as she uses both hands to strike her sword down on Antiope with her full power. Her aim suffers from her full-blown attack, missing Antiope when she leans back to avoid the hit. Antiope swings her blade upwards, nearly nicking Diana’s cheek if she hadn’t pulled away soon enough. Antiope notices Diana stumbling to stay balanced. She finds an opening and shoves Diana, making her take a step back. When Antiope swings again, Diana loses her balance trying to avoid her attacks. She winces as she falls once again to the ground, her back hitting the curve of a hill. Soon, her true age is showing in her eyes: a childlike fear as she looks up at her aunt towering over her. 

Antiope’s piercing eyes show her true age as well: a fierce rage and desperation that’s developed from the wars and traumas of her past over thousands of years. She is stern in her diatribe and gestures at Diana with her sword pointedly, not allowing her to get up off the ground, “You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know. But if you don't try harder—”

“Diana!” Antiope and Diana both look over to the source of the call. Diana stumbles to her feet as her mother and her entourage of royal guards come rushing into the grove on horseback. Diana bows her head and searches for an explanation; she can’t think of any way to explain her armor or the sword she dropped that doesn’t get her in trouble. Hippolyta dismounts from her horse and marches over, each step sounding closer to Diana’s demise. The Queen never breaks eye contact with the General, who seemed to be prepared to get caught compared to Diana. Hippolyta turns her attention to Diana, glancing over her golden armor and dirty elbows and skirt. Hippolyta asks her daughter, “Are you hurt?”

“No, Mother, I'm fine. I was just—”

“—Training,” Hippolyta cuts her off and glares at Antiope, who remains calm in the face of an unleashed mother’s reckoning. Hippolyta doesn’t give her a chance to explain before rampaging, “Seems I'm not the revered queen I should be. Disobeyed, betrayed by my own sister…”

Diana steps in between the two sisters before the heated debate can escalate. She defends her aunt and tries to diffuse the tension. Diana pleads with her, “No, mother. It was me. I asked her—”

“—Take her to the palace.” Hippolyta ignores Diana’s pleas and looks over her shoulder, directing a royal guard to escort her home. With a stern look, Hippolyta nods for Diana to leave with the guard, “Off you go.”

Knowing that her order is final, Diana shows little resistance as the royal guard guides her by her slumped shoulders in the direction of the palace. She glances over her shoulder one last time, making eye contact with Antiope who gives her a reassuring nod. That’s the only signal she needs before looking back to the path in front of her. Antiope turns back to Hippolyta, who is already glaring down at her, daring her to explain herself. 

“You left me no choice, Hippolyta,” Antiope defends herself, “You neglect your duty if she cannot fight. You neglect her duty destined by the Ainur.”

Hippolyta masks the betrayal with disappointment, but even the feeling of betrayal is a mask for her true fear. She scoffs at her sister’s accusations put against her, “You speak of a time that may never come. He might never return. He died at the hands of Isildur…” Hippolyta emphasizes each word, but her tone is saturated in uncertainty. “The shard of Narsil cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand. I was there to see it.” Though she recalls this from memory, not even she seems to be convinced.

Antiope steps forward, forcing the Queen to look her dead in the eyes. The same fear that Hippolyta masks from others is reflected in Antiope’s eyes. “Sauron is alive.” she says, “You feel it as I do, in your bones. It is only a matter of time before he returns.” Her steady tone soon falters and reveals her true desperation to break through to Hippolyta, to break through her mask and make her understand why she did what she did.

The Amazon Queen softens her scowl and wipes at her eye with her leather-wrapped hand. She sighs when the truth Antiope speaks of settles within her. She exasperates the bitter truth through gritted teeth, “The stronger she gets, the sooner they will find her.”

Antiope stands her ground. “Hippolyta, I love her as you do. But this is the only way to truly protect her,” she exclaims.

Hippolyta looks to the ground while clenching her jaw, making her golden headpiece perfectly outline her cheekbones. She teeters from one foot to the other; the Queen, who is usually a ruler of sound reasoning, is conflicted. The repercussions of their history have finally caught up to her, and the price of turning her back on mankind once is worth her beloved daughter’s life. Turning her back on mankind now means having to turn Diana over to them. Flashes of the struggles and strife of her people at the hands of the very race they were meant to save flicker through her; the mere memory of the trauma boils her blood. If the Nazgûls get their hands on Diana, the torment she would need to endure would be unbearable in comparison… 

And yet… Diana is the bravest person she knows, and the only one who stands a chance against them… 

Hippolyta lifts her chin and looks to Antiope with a determined look, one that reminds her of the Amazon warrior who led her people out of captivity hundreds of years ago. “You will train her harder than any Amazon before her. Five times harder… ten times harder. Until she's better than even you.” Hippolyta declares as a royal order; saying this both as a Queen to her General and a mother to her sister, “But she must never know the truth... about what she is... ...or how she came to be.”

=====

**1,400 years later…**

A woman stands on the grassy patch at the bottom of a dip in the valley. Her hair is braided back with every stray strand tucked neatly away. She can feel the dew from a misty morning still on the blades of grass through the openings of her knee-high, multi-strap sandals. She wears a battle corset made of layered brown leather with a leather strap that wraps over her shoulder and around her torso, giving her a place to hook her lasso at her side and her shield on her back.  Her battle skirt is made with strips of a cut-up hide of an alligator. Leather wraps on her wrist and metal bracers on her forearms are used for defense.

She is surrounded by Amazon warriors who stand on the different rocky tiers that are elevated above her eye line; some of them stand at the ready while others lounge around to watch her training. With nothing but the bow in her hand and the round shield strapped to her back, her training begins. Several arrows have been stabbed upright into the ground in a cluster, with the arrowheads piercing the dirt for support. The woman plucks one of the arrows from the ground and knocks it into place on her bow with ease. She stands with her feet apart and her upper body turned to the side as she squints against the sunlight to aim at the farthest target. She releases the arrow. It flies through the air and hits the bullseye, just as she’s practiced to. 

The woman glides across the ground on her knees, grabbing and knocking another arrow on her bow. She aims at a different target and shoots again; she hits the center again. She repeats this process, constantly moving and gliding across the floor. She circles around the cluster of arrows, picking up one for each new target she faces that are scattered around. Soon, there are no more arrows and every target has an arrow sticking out of its bullseye. Antiope watches in approval from the sidelines. Her round of archery ends in such a blur, the transition into combat training is immediate. 

An Amazon warrior clad in armor and an iron helmet battle cries as she throws a spear at the woman in the center of the field. Quick on her feet, the woman jumps with her bow still in hand, vaulting herself and swinging her arms to spin in the air and over the spear. The spear misses her and darts Through the air right past her as she lands on both feet: a solid landing. Her heart beats with adrenaline and she pants to catch her breath, awaiting the next attack. She makes eye contact with Antiope, who nods her head towards the horizon to her side. 

The woman looks up towards the highest tier to see a glowing figure on a white horse in the distance. She can see the sunlight reflecting off of her mother’s gold headpiece stylized with lightning bolts that rests upon her head with royal authority. She knows her mother is watching her train, which plasters a smile on the woman’s face as she hears the stomping of one of the Amazon warriors charging towards her from the front. 

She now spars with the same warriors she watched train on the same training grounds she used to overlook from afar when she was a young girl.

Without looking away from her mother’s figure in the distance, the woman lifts the bow in her hands to block her opponent’s sword. Although she blocks her attack, the force of the hit causes the bow to fly out of her hand and for her to spin in the direction of her opponent’s swing. Quick to retaliate, the woman reaches behind her and grabs the shield from her back with her other hand just in time to clash with her opponent’s sword. Sparks fly as the warrior’s blade skims across the surface of her shield. She ducks when the warrior swings back. The woman rolls over on the ground to get behind her opponent while her back is turned. 

As the woman stands to her feet, she catches a glimpse of an archer on a lower tier behind her knocking an arrow that’s aimed at her. The woman swings her arm back, shooting her shield like a projectile. The shield knocks out the archer before she could release the arrow. 

The woman turns back to the warrior in front of her while unraveling the lasso attached at her hip. While the warrior is still turning to face her, the woman finds an opening and throws her lasso at the warrior’s back foot ankle. The lasso loops around her back foot where she’s supporting most of her weight. The woman uses both hands and all of her strength to pull the rope. The warrior is pulled a few feet through the air by her ankle. The warrior flails her limbs in the air before landing on her back at the woman’s feet, dropping her sword in the process. The woman hurried to pick up the fallen sword.

In the next moment, as she stands with the sword in hand, the woman hears a scream behind her as a new opponent sneaks up behind her and swings an axe to clash with the sword. Though she fails to knock the sword out of the woman’s hand, she does catch her off guard as she stumbles backward from the axe swing. When she turns and is faced with her new opponent, the woman recognizes this as the warrior she saw training that day she stood on the East wall of the training grounds. The warrior follows this attack with an onslaught of several axe swings, which the woman manages to block with the metal bracers on her arm. But by focusing all of her defense on one side, her opponent manages to land a punch on the woman’s cheek that was left unprotected. The woman seems to have lost focus from the blow. She stumbles and falters to find balance while holding her cheek that was impacted. The queen watches this take place with worry.

Although her sparring partner is her princess, the warrior does not go easy on her. The woman recovers quick enough to block another axe swing with her sword; a hit that could have been the finishing blow. Her sword and her axe clash together in a rhythm, with their opponent trying to break the rhythm of the other first. The woman is the first to break out of the tempo of their spar when she forces the warrior to falter back with the weight of the axe in her hand. She finds an opening and goes in for the stab, stopping before the sword can impale; she stops short of what would have been the killing blow in real combat.

Everyone freezes; her opponent stares wide-eyed at the proximity of the point of the woman’s blade to her own throat. All of the Amazons watching this showdown stare in wonder at how one of their best warriors is defeated. The woman slowly lowers the sword from her opponent’s throat and steps back, easing away from the tense moment. In awe of her own victory, she turns to her aunt and mentor who has been surveying from the sidelines. 

Though she has been the woman’s longest sparring partner, Antiope is also her greatest match on the island. Antiope strides with a sword in hand to the center of the training field where the seemingly unbeatable woman stands. It is only when the General steps up to challenge her that onlookers see a glimpse of uncertainty on the woman’s face: a much different emotion from the determined and confident look she’s had thus far. When Antiope stands in front of the woman, she no longer looks down to look her in the eyes. Her student and niece, who was only just a child when they started training, is now the one looking down to her teacher. But height is not the measurement of skill in combat. The woman feels like a kid all over again whenever she spars with the General; the kid who was always striving for approval, but was too stubborn to admit defeat. 

Antiope’s calm and collected approach unsettles the woman’s composure, but she still goes in for the first move. The woman swings her sword in fluid motions, which Antiope avoids easily by stepping back. The General effortlessly blocks all of the woman’s attacks, despite all the power she is putting into each swing. The woman fails to sweep Antiope’s feet from under her when the woman kneels and sweeps her leg across the ground. Antiope steps over the woman’s leg sweep. 

Although she is on the offensive, all of her attacks are rendered feeble by Antiope’s tenacious defense. The woman’s sword never gets any closer to touching Antiope than Antiope wants. The woman’s swings are calculated, but abrasive; Antiope’s blocks are disciplined and controlled. Sparks fly as the woman’s blade grinds against the length of Antiope’s sword. Antiope switches to the offensive. The woman narrowly misses a slice to her head and manages to avoid a punch to her jaw, but she fails to defend her stomach from a spinning back kick that sends her wobbling backward on her heels. The woman struggles to breathe after the air was knocked out of her lungs. Though she is able to stay on her feet, doubt settles in her demeanor once again. 

“Harder! You are stronger than this, Diana,” Antiope urges her opponent on. The woman, who is a much older and grown Diana, glances up to her mother to see that she is still there, she is still watching. Diana turns back to Antiope, who awaits for Diana to focus back on her training, “ Again.” 

Diana cranes her neck to loosen up the tension in her neck. She levels her breathing back to normal. She takes a deep breath before running with her sword raised, closing the gap between her and her aunt. Diana’s attacks are much more brief and precise with no time in between for Antiope to strike back. Diana keeps her guard up at all times. Diana keeps her offensive consistent, trying to create an opening for her to land a blow, but Antiope keeps up with her repeated attacks. Diana sweeps for Antiope’s feet again and fails, but returns to clashing swords without missing a beat. Her ceaseless assaults prove to be wearing out the General overtime, who seems to be struggling to compete with Diana’s agility. 

Antiope goes in for an attack. She misses. Diana shouts as she swiftly kicks the sword out of Antiope’s hand before she can recover. The Amazonian sword rattles to the grass out of arm’s reach, leaving Antiope defenseless. Diana has just beaten the greatest warrior in Amazon history in a spar with all the other great warriors she’s looked up to there to bear witness. Diana pants as she bathes in her triumph. She looks over to her mother, sitting on her horse like a pedestal, to see her reaction. 

In her moment of weakness, while her guard is down, Antiope shoves Diana to the ground. She grunts, her metal bracers around her arm taking most of the impact. Antiope, overtaken with rage, picks her sword back up with an iron grip. “Never let your guard down,” Antiope warns Diana, who stares up at her in confusion and fear after her tainted victory. The rules of sparring have been thrown out. Suddenly, she is now the one on the ground, defenseless. Antiope swings her sword close to Diana’s face, forcing her crawling backward. 

“You expect the battle to be fair!” Antiope yells as she strikes again. Diana raises her arm over her head, blocking with her bracer. “A battle will never be fair!” Antiope yells again when Diana raises her other arm, barely deflecting a close cut to her face. 

Diana scrambles to kneel on one knee while Antiope lifts the sword to swing again. She winces and closes her eyes. She crosses her metal bracers, creating an X in front of her face as she prepares for the next blow. It never comes. 

A great surge of power is released when Diana clashes her metal bracers together. A brilliant jolt of energy, red like the Flame Imperishable itself, is emitted from her bracers and spreads to hit everyone and everything in a close radius around her. Antiope, who was the closest to Diana, is thrown back several feet by the sheer force of the surge. 

Diana raises her head and lowers her protective wall. She observes in wonder as her metal bracers radiate immense heat, still glowing from the surge of power she had unleashed. Her eyes shimmer orange, reflecting the energy that still lingers before dimming completely. Her lips slowly raise into a smile, feeling the afterglow of discovering her newfound power. She cautiously lowers her fists to her side, unsure of if the surge would be released again. 

However, her excitement fades as she looks around at her surroundings: damaged training equipment, onlookers stumbling back to their feet, some who need assistance getting back up. Antiope, who stood in front of her a moment ago, is now lying limp twenty feet away from where she originally stood and her sword is abandoned at her side. All the Amazons within reach flock to Antiope’s aide. 

“Antiope!” One of the soldiers exclaims as they fall to their knees at her side. The soldier helps lift Antiope’s head off the ground when she tries to look over to Diana, “Lay still… You're bleeding.” Antiope tries to support herself on her elbows to sit up, but she can barely lift her head off the ground without the help of the soldier; an able-bodied and accomplished General can be made temporarily immobile after a single burst of energy from Diana. This power she possesses was unknown to her until now.

Diana stands to her feet and starts to walk over to where Antiope lays, “I'm sorry—”

“—Wait, Diana, wait.” Antiope stops Diana before she can take another step closer. Diana glances around her to see that all the Amazon warriors— her own people, her own friends— are standing their ground. She can see the fear in all of their gazing eyes, ready to fight her at the slightest sign of trouble. The people who trained her and practically raised her now stare at her in fear. 

Hippolyta sees the tension from where she is: everyone watching Diana like she is a monster that can be unleashed at any moment. To see her daughter be the victim of such ridicule brings her sorrow, but it won’t be the only consequence of Diana’s powers being unleashed. The path is set, and destiny is near. “What have I done?” Hippolyta says under her breath. 

“I’m sorry…” Diana repeats, much more somber than before. Realizing she is no longer welcome amongst her own people, she turns on her heel. She glances down at her bracers again before advancing into a full-on sprint off of the training grounds. Antiope can only watch Diana’s retreating figure in disdain as the soldier helps her to sit up. 

=====

Diana walks to the edge of a cliff that overlooks the vastness of the ocean surrounding their island; from here, Diana can see how detached the Amazons truly are from the rest of Middle Earth. Themyscira is all she knows, but she’s always longed for something more. And it would seem as though she’s got it. Diana looks down at her hands, examining the bracers.

She turns her hands over and grazes her fingertips over the fine details of workmanship in the metal, the scratches from clashing with swords, and the leather straps that keep the bracers secure on her arms. Though they have been forged by the greatest blacksmiths Themyscira has to offer, Diana has never known these particular bracers to hold the energy for a shockwave of that capacity. But she’s also never known herself to hold that much power. She’s not sure what is happening to herself… 

Diana lowers her arms to her sides and tilts her head to the sky, closing her eyes. She listens to the wind that blows past her ears as if it is speaking to her: it whispers to her that she is destined for greater things than this island, that she is meant to use her powers for something more. The wind tells her that change is coming, and the wind will bring it to her. 

Diana scrunches her eyes in confusion when she feels the wind shift, changing directions. She opens her eyes to see a minuscule shape on the horizon, growing from nothingness. She watches as the vessel gets closer, the outline of the ship becoming more distinct. Diana walks along the cliff’s ledge, predicting where the ship is pointing. 

Diana doesn’t need to wait until the ship’s flags become visible or to see the undeniable figurehead of the ship shaped into the curve of a swan’s head to know that it is an Elvish ship. When the Amazons were exiled by mankind, their remaining allies after the war were few, but none as honorable as their liaison with the Elves. Only a select few from Rivendell were entrusted with the exact coordinates to Themyscira; all others who have tried to find it become lost at sea. 

They usually come to trade, bring messages from the mainland, or less often to bear warnings to the Amazons. However, sighting an Elvish ship is still a rare occasion. Diana can not contain her excitement as the Elvish ship of polished quartz and pristine white sails lands at Themyscira’s docks. It’s been many centuries since the last time a ship docked at their island.

Determined to meet them at the docks, Diana goes into a sprint and jumps off the cliff. She raises her arms over her head and dives headfirst into the bottomless waters below. She zips past coral and schools of fish, the water rushing past her ears at her speed. She makes it to the shores in a single breath, emerging to the top of the water next to where the Elvish ship docked. Diana can already see the Amazons gather at the other side of the shore to get a closer look at the vessel. She tries to wring as much water from her braid as she can while she watches the Amazons gossip with each other, holding their baskets of produce they never got to drop off at home before the ship arrived during their morning visit to the marketplace.

As Diana, still soaked from head to toe, passes the Amazons that have gathered to see the visitors, the crowd splits to make a path for their Princess to pass through. She leaves a trail of water behind her much to the Amazons’ confusion. Diana stops when she reaches the front of the gathering at the edge of the docks. She admires the sails as the wind blows through them. The swan head on the front of the ship is now pointed at the marketplace, watching the deserted stalls and abandoned produce and fish left out to sundry. 

While she is admiring the refined craftsmanship of the Elves, a large plank made of polished white birch wood is lowered from the deck and connects to the docks. The whole crowd grows silent and watches in awe as a company of Elves descend from the ship with high posture and an astonishing grace; Diana can tell how otherworldly Elves truly are. In true Rivendell fashion, the courtiers of Elves are clad in elegantly fitted costumes that alternate between free-flowing silk for some and velvet for others with coats and slim trousers. Their luxurious attire is accentuated with subtle patterning in their long over-robes woven with soft brocades and cloqués fabric. Their attire is truly a reflection of the wealth and dignity of the Elvish people. 

Many of the Elves that unboard the ship are carrying boxes of cargo to trade with at the marketplace, but there is an Elf who seems to have come for a different purpose. He stands out from the rest of his company: he wears a deep blue, lapis lazuli colored button-up with silver buttons and a rich, warm orange-brown lining inside his robe. A crown of twisted branches that form a downwards peak rests on his forehead, showing his high status on the ship. Diana remembers him visiting Themyscira in the past, somewhere in her youth.

While the other Elves unpacking their cargo all pass Diana on the docks to go towards the crowd and be led away to the marketplace, the Elf of high status approaches Diana. He is perplexed by her drenched state but does not mention the puddle forming around her. Instead, he bows to her, knowing that she is royalty on this island.

Diana bows her head, acknowledging his formalities. When the Elf lifts his head, Diana speaks, “Only the Elves of Rivendell can find our shores.” 

“Themyscira can always be found when following the brightest star.” The Elf replies, reciting the directions to Themyscira that were shared with them centuries ago.

Diana smiles as she recalls a name to his face. She greets him, “Your people are welcome here, Lindir of Rivendell.”

Lindir smiles after being identified without introducing himself. He offers the same sentiment and addresses her title, “Diana, daughter of Hippolyta,” Lindir looks her over, his eyes lingering on the water dripping from her hair, “You have grown into a noble warrior since we last met. Time has treated you fairly.” 

“Thank you, Lindir,” Diana accepts the compliment, knowing she was but a child the last time Elvish ships came from Rivendell. Although their visits are few and far between, Rivendell is their only connection to the mainland. 

“I bring a message from Lord Elrond; it is with heavy hearts that we bring you such grave news from the mainland. We request an audience with Queen Hippolyta and the Senate, for this message affects us all.” Lindir explains. 

It is only when she hears the tone of his voice that Diana sees the fear in his eyes, something she’s been seeing much of today. She shifts her weight and lifts her chin. “What could the severity of the message be for an Elvish ship to dock at Themyscira for the first time in centuries?”

At her interrogation, Lindir lowers his gaze, staring at the puddle that has now reached his own feet. When he meets her eyes again, Diana can feel his torment. Something unthinkable has happened that even an immortal Elf scarcely sees in his lifetime. “Gandalf the Grey had arrived at Rivendell two mornings ago in a sordid state, bearing a warning… saying that the… One Ring of Sauron had been found in the possession of a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.” 

Diana tenses up. There is a ringing in her ears. She can barely hear the excitement of the crowd as they move towards the marketplace, fading away from her hearing. 

The One Ring of Sauron. Diana has lived long enough to witness her tall tales and bedtime stories come true. She shivers when the wind blows through her damp hair.

“Lord Elrond is requesting for Queen Hippolyta to send representatives to a Council being held at Rivendell in five days' time. The Free Peoples of Middle Earth will decide the fate of the One Ring then.” Lindir says. 

“This is grave indeed…” Diana trails off, still in shock. She refocuses on Lindir, who waits expectantly for her response, “We must make haste. Follow me to see the Queen. I will escort you to the palace and gather the Senate.”


	6. THE RING MUST BE DESTROYED

The meeting hall— where the Queen holds her meetings with her General and the Senate of Themyscira— is at the center of the mountain beside the palace. Aisles of golden chairs facing the middle pathway are towered by naturally formed arches of sandstone rock covered in vines and blossoms. The last members of the Senate to join the meeting file in and fill in the empty seats. 

At the front of the meeting hall are stairs that elevate three chairs— two seats, with loops for back support, on either side of a golden, spiral throne that’s placed higher than the other two. Seated on the throne is Queen Hippolyta, high and mighty. To her right hand is General Antiope, the second in command. Princess Diana sits to the left side of her mother; the seat is her birthright as royalty of Themyscira. The three seated here make up the head of the state: a replica of the Holy trinity. At the foot of the throne, at the bottom of the stairs, the Elves from Rivendell stand before the Court of Themyscira to share their message. 

“Queen Hippolyta, General Antiope, Princess Diana, and the Senate of Themyscira,” Lindir, the speaker of the messengers addresses the room, “Lord Elrond extends a formal request to summon representatives for a Council being held in Rivendell in five days’ time. Lord Elrond offers transport on our ship for the Amazon entourage that chooses to attend.” 

“By what concern is this Council being held, Lindir of Rivendell?” Antiope asks first. 

Lindir bows his head, the weight of his message pushing it down. His voice becomes deeper, more gravelly with anguish, “Lord Elrond has disclosed that after thousands of years… the One Ring of Sauron has returned.” 

There is an uproar amongst the Senate as all the Senators turn in their seats to confer with those around them. Lindir purses his lips together as he hears the reactions from the rows of seats on either side of him:

“How is this possible?”

“Sauron is dead! We all saw him die!”

“This is impossible!”

“What will become of mankind?”

“Is Sauron returning from the dead?”

“It is only a matter of time before the Nazgûl will be circling our shores!”

Diana turns in her own seat and leans forward to advise her mother, “Your majesty, if what they say is true, the Amazons have no choice but to be involved.”

Hippolyta glances down at her daughter to her left-hand side. She drowns out the rest of the room and focuses solely on her daughter; this is the day she has dreaded most. It appears that the day has come for Hippolyta to requite for her neglect. The calamity to the paradise she has built came by sea in the form of three Elvish servants on a day like any other. Destiny has found them where mankind could not.

With a raise of her hand, the meeting hall falls silent once again. All eyes are on their Queen who sits straight with dignity. They all await what she has to say. Hippolyta grips the ends of her armrests, but keeps her composure. She looks down upon the Elves through hooded eyelids. “This Council in Rivendell… What are Lord Elrond’s intentions?” 

“As I’ve told Princess Diana, the Free Peoples of Middle Earth will decide the fate of the One Ring. Those in attendance will determine the fate of Middle Earth.” Lindir answers, “He asks for your alliance, as well as your discretion.” 

“Discretion will be kept,” Hippolyta states, “But his request for our presence at the council is declined.”

Diana whips her head around to face her mother. Queen Hippolyta is a wise and level-headed ruler who has led this kingdom for millenniums. However, even a fool would question the rationale of her decision. The Senate all turn heads to see each other’s reactions; the room buzzes with confusion.

Lindir, though taken aback by the Queen’s edict, remains calm and tries to salvage the situation. “There was once a great alliance between the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. A darkness is looming over our lands and a threat is brewing in Mordor. It is time to rekindle that Great Alliance once again,” Lindir attempts to convince Hippolyta. 

However, Hippolyta remains steadfast in her decision. “As I recall, mankind broke that alliance by keeping the Ring of Power for themselves. Our people went into hiding as a result of the alliance.” Her resolve moves the Senate into silence. Antiope closes her eyes as the many battles she fought in flash before her eyes. They are all reminded once again of the first time the Ring fell into the hands of mankind and the ordeals that came of it; although time has passed, history cannot be rewritten. 

Diana, the only one born after the ordeals and ignorant to the trauma that lingers in all of them, listens to Lindir’s speech and is affected. She is the only one who doesn’t fall numb to her mother’s words of hostility for mankind. For Diana, who has never faced Sauron before, there is still hope for Middle Earth and hope to restore the Amazons back to the mainland and out of exile.

Lindir also doesn’t lose hope as he continues to convince Hippolyta, “The Nazgûl have been sighted all around Middle Earth in search of the Ring,” Lindir mentions, peaking Diana’s attention and making her perk up in her seat. Hippolyta notices this. “The Witch-King of Angmar has been raised from the tombs in the High Fells of Rhudaur to seek out the ring bearer.” Hippolyta takes a sharp intake of breath as Lindir stares her down, targeting her with his next words, “He seeks the Nazgûl Killer meant to destroy him.” 

“The Nazgûl Killer…” Diana repeats to herself, but it echoes for the entire Senate to hear. They all look to Diana, understanding the depth of the Amazons’ involvement in changing the course of history. The Nazgûl Killer, kept hidden away on the island of Themyscira, is now being called for duty, to fulfill its purpose. 

“Only the Nazgûl Killer has the power to destroy the Nazgûl and the Witch-King,” Lindir says, “The Nazgûl Killer is the only one who can protect the ring bearer against the threats of Mordor. Please, your majesty, reconsider. The fate of Middle Earth is on your shoulders.” 

Everyone looks to their Queen. Antiope looks at her sister. Diana looks at her mother. Hippolyta is stunned to silence with her words stuck in her throat. Her heart is beating wildly inside of her chest, to the point where she is surprised the whole Senate cannot hear it. What looks to be her contemplating is actually her having a crisis, and all eyes are on her.

=====

The doors of the meeting hall fly open. Queen Hippolyta walks out, escorted by the royal guard and followed by members of the Senate. They all file out and walk down the pathway around the side of the mountain, chasing the heels of their Queen. Diana finds herself at the back of the crowd, trying to reach her mother leading the herd.

“What shall we do? Should we heed the call for a council?” One Senator beside Hippolyta asks her.

She shakes her head in response. “And risk exposing our shores to the Nazgûl?”

“We cannot avoid the affairs of the world forever, my Queen,” the Senator reasons.

Diana apologizes to every Senate member she passes on her way to the front. She speaks over the crowd to be heard from where she is, “Mother, excuse me, but after everything Lindir said, this must be Sauron’s doing.” Everyone stops in their tracks. The crowd disperses to create an opening for Diana to be seen. She stares at the back of Hippolyta’s head, waiting for her to turn around and face her. 

Instead, the Senator to the Queen’s side steps forward. “What are you talking about, child?”

Diana takes a deep breath and bows her head. “Forgive me, Senator, but the Elf said that they see movement in Mordor.” Diana lifts her head to look around at all the faces looking at her. Those who cannot bear the weight of her warning turn away or lower their gaze. Hippolyta keeps her back turned, but Diana does not back down. She addresses everyone gathered around her, “A darkness is looming over Middle Earth, and the Nazgûl have returned after not being seen for a millennium. Only Sauron could do such a thing. We cannot simply send the Elves back. We must go with them. The ring must be destroyed!” Diana looks around her to see if anyone will rise up from the group to support her. No one dares to speak up. 

Hippolyta finally turns during the beat of silence. “I will not deploy our army and leave Themyscira defenseless to go fight mankind’s war,” she declares.

But Diana, with a resolve as hard as stone, refuses to accept her mother’s decision when she knows it is not right. Diana shakes her head and says, “It’s not their war. Eru Ilûvatar created mankind to be just and wise, strong and passionate—”

“—That was a story, Diana!” Hippolyta cuts her off with aggression, “There is much you do not understand. You give them too much credit. Men are easily corrupted. History will show you that.”

“Yes, but Sauron is behind that corruption! It is Sauron who had turned man against our people. We are meant to save men from corruption and to protect the Free Peoples of Middle Earth with our lives.” Diana speaks the truth and the Senate knows it. “And stopping the Witch-King of Angmar is our foreordinance. As Amazons, this is our duty.”

“But you're not an Amazon like the rest of us. So you will do nothing,” Hippolyta steps forward, looking down upon Diana like she is still a child who knows nothing of the world. Although there is truth to it, there is also truth in what Diana says as well. Even if Diana is still a child in Hippolyta’s eyes, she is no longer someone who can be sheltered from the world any longer. But Hippolyta will still try. “As your queen I forbid it.”

With her final edict announced, the Queen turns on her heel and storms off, refusing to hear another word against her. The Queen’s decision is final, and Princess Diana has no power to overrule her. However, this decision feels more personal than political; it feels driven by the worry of a mother for a daughter, and that is harder to overcome than a royal subject speaking out against her ruler. 

Diana stays behind, standing in place as the rest of the Senate files out of the meeting hall and passes her. The entourage surrounding her mother disappears from sight as they round a corner heading for the palace. Diana turns her back to where her mother had just denounced her. She stumbles to the side and leans over the sandstone railing overlooking the side of the mountain. She grips the railing for stability as she recalls the confrontation with her mother: her stern tone, her daunting glare, the intonation of her voice. Diana has never seen her mother so fired up. Seeing her mother like this, a part of her wishes to follow her mother’s orders and turn a blind eye to the matters of the mainland like the Amazons did in the past, but Diana has always known that Themyscira— this great paradise away from mankind— was never meant to last. 

Diana looks out to the horizon as the sun starts to set behind the mountain tops. In the distance, the outline of the great tower that guards the Nazgûl Killer can be seen in the shadows where the sun cannot touch. The vines that wrap around the walls make it nearly blend in with the mountain. She stares at the tower longingly. Even after all her training, the blade forged using the Flame Imperishable still seems unreachable; her own mother and mentor still think she isn’t worthy to wield the sword. But while watching the sunset behind the tower, Diana reaches an epiphany. Even if Hippolyta turns her back on mankind, Diana cannot deny her duty; she knows what she must do.

Lindir comes up behind Diana and joins her in watching the sunset over the railing. The elf, born with a pale complexion, appears to have much warmer tones under the sunset. “This island is very peaceful. The Amazons deserve this paradise after their many tribulations,” Lindir sympathizes. He glances at Diana; he can tell that out of everyone on the island, she understands. “But how long will this peace last if Sauron retrieves the Ring before it can be destroyed?” 

“I hear you…” Diana, still gazing at the tall tower in the distance, takes a deep breath. To go against the Queen’s order is treason, but to abide by it would be the blood of innocent lives on her hands. “When do you plan to return to the mainland?”

“We’ll be staying until tomorrow night in case Queen Hippolyta changes her mind.”  
“She won’t…” Diana tells Lindir. She steps back from the railing and faces Lindir. “Listen carefully, for what I am about to say is a necessary evil.”

Lindir waves away his guards to leave them alone; he is sworn to secrecy. “What are you planning, Princess Diana?”

Diana tells him what to do in hushed tones, “Leave Themyscira tonight. Don’t tell anyone that we talked after the meeting. You mustn’t correspond with the Senate anymore. Head straight for Rivendell and tell Lord Elrond this: ‘Queen Hippolyta can only send one representative, but she will be the one who can wield the Nazgûl Killer.’”

“The Nazgûl Killer?” Lindir asks in shock. “Surely Queen Hippolyta will know if The Nazgûl Killer is smuggled off of the island. You will be caught.” 

“Not if we travel separately to clear suspicion.” Diana looks back to the tower in the distance, a beacon of hope against the darkness of Mordor. “I cannot go with you tonight, but I will travel to Rivendell tomorrow at nightfall with The Nazgûl Killer. I’ll arrive days before the council takes place.” Diana nods to Lindir, affirming their plot into motion. “The Amazons will be represented amongst the Free Peoples of Arda.”


End file.
